By Aboo Sahl Al-Atharee
Bismillaah-ir-Rahmaan-ir-Raheem
AlhamduliLlaahi wa bi-Hi nasta'een, to proceed;
The issue of the deen is always and will forever be based on proofs since its Originator is Allaah. Al-ImÄm Ahmad – rahimahuLlaah – said:
دين النبيّ٠مØمد٠أخبارÙ
‘The religion of Muhammad is centered on authentic reports.’
This write-up will be succinct and correct where the dear brother who wrote the write up erred. Indeed, the Prophet said:
All of the children of Adam are sinners, and the best sinners are those who repent. (Collected by at-Tirmidhī 2499 and Al Albaanee classed it Hasan in Saheeh Al Jaami' 4515)
May Allaah make us among the best sinners. I beseech Allaah to grant us submissive heart to the text and hamper us from following our whim. Aameen.
Introduction
Correction Number 1:
The writer (may Allaah guide me and him) said: Evidence for Tasawwuf Concepts.
The first important issue to deal with is the origin and definition of Tasawwuf. With this, the ruling built on it and the annexations will be made clear. O Allaah! Grant us submissive heart to the texts. (Aameen).
The Origin and Definition of Tasawwuf
Tasawwuf means Sufism or mysticism. Sufism is taken from the Greek word Sophia meaning wisdom. It is also said that it is a word referring to the wearing woolen (soof) clothing, and this saying is the most probable since wearing wool clothes was a sign of Zuhd (disassociation from the worldly life).
The word Sufism was not known during the time of the Prophet and the Companions, and was not well-known in the first and best three centuries.
Shaykhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah rahimahuLlaah said: The first appearance of Sufism was in Basrah in Iraaq, where some people went to the extreme in worship and in avoiding the worldly life, such as was not seen in other lands (Al-Fataawa vol.11 p.6).
Ibn Al-Jawzee says in Talbees Iblees:
Sufism is a way whose beginning was complete avoidance of the affairs of worldly life, then those who attached themselves to it became lax in allowing singing and dancing. Therefore, the seekers of the hereafter among the common people became attracted to them due to the avoidance of worldly life which they manifested and the seekers after this world were attracted to them due to the life of ease and frivolity which they were seen to live. Talbees Iblees p.161. (Adapted from the book The Reality of Sufism in Light of the Quran and the Sunnah of ash-Shaykh Rabee Al-Madkhalee).
Al-Imam Muwafaquddeen Al-Maqdasee wrote a beneficial treatise on this entitled: Dhamm at Tassawuff (Condemning Sufism).
Qaadee al 'IyÄdh said: Al-Museebee said: We were with ImÄm Malik and his students were around him. Then a man from the people of Nisbee said: O the father of AbduLlaahi (that is, ImÄm MÄlik), there are people in our town that are called SÅ«fiyyah, they eat so much, chant poems and they stand up and dance.
Malik said: Are they kids?
He said: No!
Malik said: Are they crazy?
He said: No, rather they are Mashaayikh (scholars).
Malik said: I have never heard that anybody from the people of IslÄm did this. (See the book: Tarteeb Al Madaarik vol. 2 p. 53).
Al ImÄm Ash- Shaafi'ee said:
'If an individual joins SÅ«fiyyah in the morning, afternoon will not come upon him except you find him (become) daft.' (ManÄqib Ash Shaafi'ee vol. 2 p. 207, with authentic chain).
O brother, what are you still doing with the sect that our (and your) ImÄm Malik (rahimahuLlaah) attributed puerile craziness to? Do you and your scholars know more than them?
Lest you have a rejoinder too, kindly and firstly correct our dear ImÄm Malik and Shaafi'ee!
Conclusively I say: whatever is built on falsehood, is itself falsehood. Since, Tasawwuf is not known to the Prophet (if there is, I challenge anyone to bring authentic report to support it). The Companions (if there is, kindly guide us to it (Inshaa Allaah the report of 'Alli and Ashaabus-Sufaa will be later corrected) and their successors. Then whatever it contains is futile!
Oh Allaah give us submissive heart to the texts.
Click here for part two.
